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<title>Do you believe in Soulmates? by CockAsInTheBird</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24443227">Do you believe in Soulmates?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CockAsInTheBird/pseuds/CockAsInTheBird'>CockAsInTheBird</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stranger Things (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Drugs, Fluff, M/M, Marijuana, Mutual Pining, Neighbors, Pining, do you ever YEARN, just that</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:35:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>830</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24443227</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CockAsInTheBird/pseuds/CockAsInTheBird</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Who knows how long they've been lying like this now, on their backs with their heads out the window, watching the clouds pass by, only an ashtray to separate them on Steve's bed. The only measurement of time to exist right now is how many cool clouds they've seen, and the fact that they're halfway through the blunt.</p>
<p>And when Steve sees a cloud that might look a bit like a heart, he asks, “Do you believe in soulmates?”</p>
<p>Billy blinks several times as if he's contemplating the question, then looks at Steve out the corner of his eyes, and lies, “Nah, it's all a bunch of crap.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Billy Hargrove &amp; Steve Harrington, Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Do you believe in Soulmates?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I really like the idea of two ex-rivals being forced to live next to one another, and they bond because it's hard to live in a new, big city all on your own</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western">“You busy, Harrington?” Billy had asked and then climbed in from the fire escape without waiting for an answer.</p>
<p class="western">Steve panicked and hurried to gather all of his papers and notes and books scattered across his bed, because “No I'm not busy at all, Billy, just studying for school, that's all.” And he rolled his eyes while placing the stack on the floor.</p>
<p class="western">“Time for a break, then,” Billy grinned and pulled a well rolled joint from behind his ear, and suddenly Steve were fine with the interruption.</p>
<p class="western"> </p>
<p class="western">Who knows how long they've been lying like this now, on their backs with their heads out the window, watching the clouds pass by, only an ashtray to separate them on Steve's bed. The only measurement of time to exist right now is how many cool clouds they've seen, and the fact that they're halfway through the blunt.</p>
<p class="western">And when Steve sees a cloud that <em>might</em> look a bit like a heart, he asks, “Do you believe in soulmates?”</p>
<p class="western">Billy blinks several times as if he's contemplating the question, then looks at Steve out the corner of his eyes, and lies, “Nah, it's all a bunch of crap.”</p>
<p class="western">Steve furrows his brow at the crudeness of the answer, but doesn't look at him. “What?”</p>
<p class="western">“Yeah, like...” Billy blows out a cloud and licks his dry lips. “It's all just made up shit to sell romance and all that to girls whose lives have no other meaning than becoming wives n shit. Just like valentines.”</p>
<p class="western">“Wait...” And Steve has to look at him after that. “You saying romance is made up, too?”</p>
<p class="western">“No, just that it's exploited for market value,” Billy says all matter of fact, as if he's telling the truth for once in his life.</p>
<p class="western">“I...” Steve finds himself kinda speechless, although whether it's from Billy's cynicism or the weed is anyone's guess. “I didn't know you had those kind of thoughts.”</p>
<p class="western">Billy meets his gaze, and there's <em>something</em> in those dark brown eyes. Wonder? Shock? Never the less he smiles at how big they are. “What kind of thoughts?”</p>
<p class="western">“Smart ones,” Steve replies before he can catch those dangerous words.</p>
<p class="western">But Billy just laughs at it. “What, just because I'm a mechanic? I'm not the one that flunked high school.”</p>
<p class="western">Steve scoffs and turns to look at the sky again. At least he's trying now, with night school and actually studying.</p>
<p class="western">“What about you?”</p>
<p class="western">“What about me what?”</p>
<p class="western">“Do you believe in soulmates?”</p>
<p class="western">And Steve sits up at that, convinced it'll help him think better, crosses his legs on the mattress and snags the joint from between Billy's fingers. He takes a deep drag, feels it swirl around his lungs, and releases the smoke with a breathy “Yeah.”</p>
<p class="western">Billy crawls a bit down the bed till his legs bend over the edge, feet on the ground. He stares up at where Steve looks so blissfully relaxed for once, and thinks “<em>I did that</em>.” Happy with the knowledge that he can help his neighbor de-stress. <em>His friend</em>.</p>
<p class="western">“Have you found them yet?” he asks and twiddles his thumbs on top of his chest.</p>
<p class="western">Wide pupils stares down at him, as Steve says, “I think so.”</p>
<p class="western">But Billy doesn't want to ask <em>who</em>, in fear of the answer, uncertain his heart can take it the way it's throbbing right now.</p>
<p class="western">“I used to think it was Nancy,” Steve continues and hands him the cigarette. “But she's living with Jonathan now, can you believe that? They're a good fit, and I'm happy for them... but...”</p>
<p class="western">“But?” Billy mumbles around the blunt between his lips.</p>
<p class="western">“I'm kinda jealous,” Steve chuckles and stares into the air, red eyed and blurry. “Not at, like, Jonathan or anything, I don't care about Nancy anymore- I mean, I care, but not like that way, y'know?”</p>
<p class="western">He looks at Billy as if he expects an answer, but continues talking before there is time for one, then looks away again.</p>
<p class="western">“Anyway, I've been single for like 4 years now, and it's lonely out here in the big city, and I'm... I'm... I'm just lonely.”</p>
<p class="western">“But you're not alone,” Billy says all too quickly, and his heartache hurts more when Steve whips his head to look down at him, something written in his brows that Billy can't decipher. “I'm here with you.”</p>
<p class="western">And it hurts to say those words, in an odd way, because they could be so easily misconstrued, and Billy's so close to saying all the wrong things right now. But Steve doesn't respond; simply lies down next to him and stares at the ceiling, expression carefree with possibly a hint of a smile, but maybe that's the weed lying to Billy's perception. He cherishes it never the less.</p>
<p class="western">It takes so long for any new words to fill the space, that Billy almost forgot they were talking at all, when Steve finally says-</p>
<p class="western">“Yeah, you are. And I'm glad you're here. With me.”</p>
<p class="western">And Billy's heart stops hurting.</p>
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